National Republican., 1887-04-25
For Gov. Lee and the Virginia Legisla,
ture.

The Virginia legislature is about to recon-
vere and there is one question of impor
tarce which it ought to consider, in
addition to that all important one of
restoring the states credit by providing to
pay its debts. This question has a direct
bearing upon that, and IL dealt with prop
erly would doubtless aid In solving the
debt problem by increasing largely the
wealth and consequently the resources OF
the state.
In fact, the subject is OF so great i'm
portance that Gov. Lee would be entirely
justified in calling the attention of the
legislature to it in a special message.
Virginia is one Of the few states that re
quire persons desirous Of building railroads
in the state to procure a special act OF the
legislature authorizing them SO to do. This
Is a relic of past age. 1t Is stole 10 the
way Of progress-a bar to the entrance Of
foreign capital-a damage to the people
aud the state that should be removed at the
very earliest opportunity.
The more railroads the state has the more
settlers it will have, the more rapid will be
the development OF the immense resources
1t possesses in mineral wealth and in water
powers suitable for manufacturing pur-
poses. These are propositions that 1t is
only necessary to state for every one to see
their truth.
The Virginia Legislature ought not TO
adjourn until general railroad incorpora-
tion law is passed. 1t is more than prob.
hle that some, possibly all, Of the corpora
iions now in the state will oppose the max
inc of such law, though they ought no.
10 do so If the bill is properly drawn, bu
II they do, that should not deter the legis
lsture from acting.
Every corporation now desiring to build
road in Virginia has to meet the opposi
,ion Of all the other corporations which
for sny reason conceives that its interests
will be iniurlously affected by the pro.
Ioted line, and In addition 1t has to suffer
more or less blackmail from the pestiferJus
lobby who are always found in the corri-
dors Of every legislative body from the
hall of the town council or school trustees
10 the capitol building.
These things often deter the beginning Of
meritorious and legitimate enterprises, and
sometimes handicap them, when begun, by
such enormous legislative expenses as II
cause serious embarrassment. A genera
law would do away with this, and can bt
so drawn that 1t will more carefully guard
the II terests Of the state and the vested
Interests Of other companies than can
special enactments In the interest of any
company.
The railroad incorporation laws Of New
York, Of Illinois, of Missouri, and OF
various other states, look carefully to the
interests of all parties interested-that is
the state, the existing railways, and the
proposed company-aud from these law
bill can easily be prepared, aud ought t.
he promptly passed.
Virginia now has less than three thousand
miles of railway within its borders, ant
many parts Of the state are totally cut Of
from the markets Of the world because o
the want Of facilities for transportation
Virginia has over forty thousand square
miles Of territory, and Massachusetts, hs
but eight thousand miles, only one-htth q,
much, but Massachusetts has more miles o
railway than Virginia has, and the valua
tion OF its property is five times create
than that Of Virginia. Even the territory
of Dakota and the centennial state, Colo
RADIO, have more miles Of railway thai
Virginia.
The sold Dominion" should wake up
1t started in the race when freedom was ac
complished and states were formed will
more wealth, more population, and greatei
natural advantages than any OF its siste
states. Now all of the original states nortl
Of 1t, except little Delaware, Rhode Island
and New Hampshire, have passed 1t In tn,